Threading device for sewing-machines.



PATENTED JULY 21, 190.8.

s.- B. BATTEY.. 'THREADING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN-'5, 1905.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

V B m ATTORNEYS PATENTED JULY 21, 1908.

I s, B. BATTBY. THREADING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1905 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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SUMTER BEAUREGARD BATTEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THREADING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Application filed January 5, 1905. Serial No. 239,739.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SUMTER BEAUREGARD BATTEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Threading Device for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The principal object of the present i-nven- I tion is to provide a new and improved needlethreading device for sewing machines, arranged to draw the needle thread through the eye of the needle at the time the latter is in its uppermost position.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the operation of said device either automatically or by hand, and in fact to automatically throw it out of operation by the movement of a part of the machine when operated by hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for stretching the thread across the eye of the needle, and so holding it as to permit the threading device to engage it and to draw the end of it through the needle, thereby completely threading the needle without the necessary intervention of any manual operation.

The present invention also comprises other features which will appear in the course of the subjoined description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one form of my present improvement applied to a sewing machine, certain parts being in sec tion; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, parts being omitted, and some parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the device mentioned above; Fig. 4 is an enlarged side'elevation showing the parts in a normal position of rest, ready to operate; Fig. 5 is a sectional plan on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 4, with the threading device in position for engaging the thread, ready to draw it through the eye of the needle; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the threading device in the position occupied after it has drawn the thread through the eye of the needle; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the lines 99 of Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 10 is a sectional plan of an adjusting device constituting a portion of my invention; and Fig. 11 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

My improved threading device is designed to be applied to any kind of a sewing machine, but for convenience I have illustrated it in connection with a machine having a needle bar 13 carrying a needle 14, and mounted to slide vertically in the head 15 of the sewing machine arm. The needle bar is driven, as usual, by means of a pitman 16, and a crank 17, the crank being connected with the main shaft 18 of the machine.

A cam, preferably in the form of a disk 19, with a groove 20, is provided for operating the main portion of the threading device. This cam is preferably connected with the shaft 18 so as to be operated thereby, and may be mounted directly upon this shaft. The groove 20 is of considerable depth, and has an offset or V-shaped portion 21. In the groove and adjacent to the V-shaped portion is a projection 22. The outer surface of this projection is depressed from the outer surface of the disk 19, .so that the end of a plunger 23 can be located in the groove and be guided by the walls thereof without projecting far enough into the groove to come into contact with the projection 22. When the parts are in this position the groove acts merely as a guide for the plunger and keeps it in stationary position. When the plunger is forced upwardly, however, so as to reach the bottom of the groove, it will be obvious that the projection 22 will force it into the V-shaped offset 21 and cause the plunger to be moved to one side about its pivot 25.-

After having passed the offset the plunger will then be drawn back into the groove, and a projection 26 in the groove will force the plunger out so that upon the next rotation it will not be engaged by the projection 22. In this way I have provided means for automatically throwing the plunger out of operative position after it has once been operated. The plunger is carried by a casing 24.

A trigger 27 is preferably pivoted to a stationary part 28 of the device, and has a proje'ction 29 adapted to engage with the lower end of the plunger 23 in order to force its upper end to the bottom of the groove 20. This is a manually-operated means for forcing the plunger into operative position so that the offset portion of the cam will pro(perly manipulate the threading device. onnected with the casing 24 is an arm 30, having a yoke 31 designed to engage a projection 32 upon a sliding support 33. This sliding support is adapted to reciprocate in a holder 34, which is preferably fixedly mounted upon a stationary part of the machine and is provided with a perforation 35 for receiving a hook 36 which is mounted in the support 33. A hand screw 37 is provided for securing the hook in the support.

It will be readily obvious that when the plunger 23 is operated by the cam, it will cause the yoke 31 to move back and forth and reciprocate the support 33, and consequently the hook 36,.so as to force the hook through the perforation 35 and through the eye of the needle, provided the parts are so timed that the needle is in proper position for this operation. the invention which is illustrated, this timing is effected by the relative positions of the offset 21 and the crank 17, in sucha manner that the hook is thrown forward through the eye of the needle when the bar is about to reach the upper limit of its stroke, as shown in Fig. 2, and is drawn back through the eye when the pitman has passed the dead center and the needle bar is about to commence its downward stroke. It will be seen that by this arrangement a maximum amount of time is provided for the operation of the hook 36.

The casing 24 and arm 30, which are preferably integral with each other and are mounted on a ivot bracket 38, are designed to be adjusted back and forth transversely of the needle. The bracket 38 is supported upon a rod 39 projecting into a socket 40 in a stationary part of the head of the machine. This rod is provided with a neck 41, with which engages a shoe 42 designed to be fastened by means of a thumb-screw 43, to secure the parts in adjusted position. This provides means for permitting the bracket 38 to turn slightly for adjustment, without giving too great a play to the means for supporting the hook-operating device.

A convenient adjustment for the hook-operating device is illustrated-in Figs. 1, 2 and 10. A bracket 44, mounted on a stationary part of the machine and projecting toward the hook-manipulating device, is provided with a semicircular socket 45, for engaging in a groove 46 on a thumb-screw 47. The thumb-screw is connected by means of screwthreads with the arm 30, and it will be obvious that the turning of the screw will adjust the whole arm forward and backward as In the embodiment of' desired about the rod 39as a pivot, taking with it the plunger 23.

In order to provide for conveniently placing the thread in proper position for engagement by the hook 36, I have provided a lug 48 upon the front part of the holder 34. This lug is provided with a projecting lip 49, under which the thread is adapted to pass, and as the thread extends down from above along one side of the lug, it is obvious that it will engage the lug upon two sides and that considerable friction will be thus produced on the thread when the thread is brought spring clip 50 into which its end is drawn in such a manner as to hold it sufficiently for the desired purpose, the friction of the thread on the lug 48 being sufficiently great to cause the operation of the hook to draw the end of the thread from the spring clip 50 rather than to draw it past the lug 48. The tension device of the machine also assists in producing this effect. When the thread is drawn through the needle as shown in Fig. 7, and the needle passes on, the end of the thread will be withdrawn from the clip 50 and consequently will be pulled through the eye of the needle in an obvious manner. The clip 50 is preferably made of resilient material bent into a loop having a gradually diminishing width so as to readily operate in the above-described manner by the exertion of very little force. A guide plate 51 is so secured by means of a screw 52 or the like, as to provide for guiding the thread to the clip 50 and accurately locate. it in position to be engaged by the hook. An abutment 53 is provided for preventing the needle hook misses the eye and strikes the needle, thus preventing the breakage of the needle.

While I have illustrated and described one practical embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the latter is not limited I to the form shown but may be embodied in many other forms, and that many modifications may be made in the form illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: v j

1. The combination with a sewing machine having an eyed needle, of a threading device chine and having means located on one side of the needle for holding the thread in a stretched condition across one side of the of the needle and adapted to pass through the needle eye for engaging the stretched thread and pulling it back through the eye of the needle.

2. The combination with a sewing machine needle, and means located on the other side,

under the lip 49 and into engagement with a from springing too far to one side in case the j forming an. attachment for the sewing ma- .ing device transversely having an eyed needle, of a threading device having means for holding the thread in a stretched condition across one side of the needle and allowing the free'end of the thread to yield on pulling the thread through the needle eye; said means comprising a lug with which the thread engages, and a yielding clip for holding the end of the thread, said lug having a depending lip adapted to engage the thread and located horizontally opposite said clip, and means for passing the thread through the needle eye.

3. The combination with a sewing machine having an eyed needle, of a threading device therefor having means for holding the thread in a stretched conditiontransversely across one side of the needle, said means comprising a yielding clip on one side of the needle for holding the end of the thread, and means on the other side of the needle for guiding the thread to the clip, and means for passing the thread through the needle eye.

4. The combination with a sewing machine having an eyed needle, of a threading device forming an attachment for the sewing machine and having means for holding the thread in a stretched condition across one side of the needle, and means adapted to pass through the needle eye from the opposite side of the needle, for engaging the stretched thread and pulling it back through the eye of the needle; said last-named means comprising a reciprocable hook, and said means for holding the thread comprising a guide lug and a resilient spring, the hook being located opposite a point directly between said guide lug and spring.

5. The combination with a sewing machine having an eyed needle, of a threading device forming an attachment for the sewing machine and controlled by a movable part thereof, and means for adjusting the threading device transversely of the needle.

6. The combination of a sewing machine having an eyed needle, of a threading device forming an attachment for the sewing ma chine and -controlled by a movable part thereof, and means for adjusting the thread 7 of the needle; said adjusting means comprising a screw having engagement with the threading device, and having a groove, a bracket connected with.a stationary part of the machine and provided with a depression for engaging in said groove, a swiveled bracket for supporting the adjusting device, and means for securing the bracket in adjusted positions.

7. The combination with a needle threading device for sewing machines, of means for adjusting it transversely with respect to the needle, said adjusting means comprising a screw having engagement with the threading device and with a stationary part of the machine.

8. The combination with a threading device for sewing machines, of means for ad justing the threading device transversely with respect to the needle, said adjusting means comprising a screw having engagement with the threading device, and having a groove and a bracket connected with the stationary part of the machine, and provided with means for enga ing said groove and preventing longitudina motion of the screw when it rotates.

9. The combination with a needle threadin device for sewing machines, of an adjustb ing means therefor, said ad usting means comprising -a swiveled bracket for adjusting it, and means connected with a stationary art of the machine for holding said adjust- 1ng element against longitudinal motion.

10. The combination with a sewing machine, of a threading device having means for pulling a thread through the eye of the needle of the sewing machine, and means for operating said pulling means, comprising a cam connected with the movable part of the machine and a plunger adapted to engage, the cam and be moved thereby, said plunger being connected with said thread-pulling means and said cam having a groove for receiving the plunger, provided with a pro jection and an offset portion for moving the plunger.

11. The combination with a sewing machine, of a threading device having means for moving a thread through the eye of the needle, means for operating said means comprising a cam connected with a movable part of the machine, and a plunger ada ted to engage the cam and be moved there y, said plunger being connected with the threadmoving means, said cam having a groove for guiding said plunger, and a projection in the groove adapted to throw the plunger out of the bottom of the groove and thereby throw the thread-moving means out of operation when one threading operation is completed.

12. The combination with a sewing machine, of a threading device having means for pulling a thread through the eye of the needle of the sewing machine, means for operating said pulling means comprising a cam connected with a movable part of the machine and a plunger adapted to engage the cam and be moved thereby, said plunger being connected with said thread-pulling means and said cam having a groove for guiding the plunger, provided with means for moving the plunger, and manually operable means for throwing the plunger far enough into the groove to engage said lastnamed means.

13. The combination with a sewing machine of a threading device having means for moving thread through the eye of a needle of the sewing machine, means for operating said moving means comprisingbla part of the machine, a lunger adapted to In testimony whereof I have signed my engage said rotating e ement and to be name to this specification in the presence of 10 nioved theiipby, nfieans1 for connecting the two subscribing Witnesses.

un er Wit the t reac movin means, said I i otat ing element having a grooi e for uiding SUMTER BEAUR'EGARD BATTEY' said plunger, and a manually operable lever YVitnesses: for engaging the plunger. and forcing it into J N0. M. BITTER, said groove. ALBEnT E. FAY. 

